Buckle



(No Model.)

B. MARX.

BUCKLE.

No. 435,880. Patented Sept. 2, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST MARX, OF BROOKLYN, NE\V YORK.

BUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 435,880, datedSeptember 2, 1890.

Application filed April 15, 1890.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST MARX, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings andState of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBuckles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings forminga part of this specification, and to the letters ofreference marked thereon.

My present invention relates to improvements in that class of bucklesemploying a frame having points formed integral with or rigidly fastenedthereto in the plane of the frame, and a movable guard or frame slidingon the main frame and serving to force the fabric into engagement withthe points or cause the release of the same, as the case may be, such,for instance, as described in my prior patent, No. 356,772, datedFebruary 1, 1887.

In the practical manufacture of buckles such as above described thenecessity of compensating for or overcoming any spring in the metal hasbecome apparent, as well as the great desirability of giving the framethe greatest possible strength; and therefore it is the object of myinvention to produce a buckle at the lowest cost and least possiblenumber of parts, which shall combine the maximum strength with thegreatest certainty and ease of operation, all as will be hereinafterdescribed, and pointed out particularly in the claims at the end of thisspecification.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation ofa buckle having a cross-bar for limiting the movement of the slidingframe. Fig. 2 is a similar view of a buckle without the cross-bar, butwith inward extensions of the frame for limiting the movement of thesliding frame. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the sliding frame. Fig. 4is an edge view of the same. Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing themethod of attachment, and Figs. 6, 7, and 8 show modifications of thebuckle-frame.

Like letters of reference in all the figures denote the same parts.

A indicates the frame of the buckle, which I form preferably of a singlepiece of metal or wire bent into shape around a central or slidin gframe B, the ends a being turned in paral Serial No. 347,996. (Nomodel.)

lel with each other in the plane of the buckleframe and in position toenter apertures or perforations b in the frame B. The parts are soproportioned as that when the rectangular sliding frame is at oneextreme of its movement the points pass way across the same, but when atthe other extreme of its movement they are entirely withdrawn from thecentral opening, 'the extreme points being just within and protected bythe perforations in the sliding frame, so as to firmly hold the engagingweb or release the same, said fabric or strap being passed through thesliding frame and the portion to which the buckle is permanentlyattached being passed around the horizontal bar of the buckle-frame, asshown in Figs. 1 and 5, or connected to the ring or hook, as shown inFigs. 7 and 8.

In Fig. 1 the sliding frame is limited in its outward movement by thecrossbar c, which is secured in apertures in the buckle-frame at theproper point, as in my prior patent; but in the other forms of buckle,instead of perforating and weakening the frame for the reception of theends of the cross-bar, thebuckleframe forms the stops,littleinwardly-extending projections (Z being struck up on the innersurface of the side pieces of the frame, against which the sliding frameabuts and which, as they do not remove any material and are so verysmall, do not weaken the structure in the least; or else, as shown inFigs. 6, 7, and 8, the central portion of the frame is formed into ahook z' or a ring it, for the attachment of the end of the fabric, inwhich instances the inwardly extending portions of the buckleframeconstitute the stops for the sliding frame, which then movesclear'across the rectangular portion of the buckle-frame. The saidrectangular sliding frame B is preferably formed of a section ofconcave-convex wire bent into shape, with the concavity outward, formingchannels for the side pieces of the buckle-frame; but it is obviousthat-it may be struck up in any well-known manner.

As before mentioned, the buckle-frame is bent into shape around therectangular frame; but it is found that if the ends of the sliding frameare united, as has heretofore been usual, thereby forming an inflexibleand rigid frame, before the buckle-frame is bent around the same theside pieces of the buckle-frame will spring back or away from thesliding frame, leaving the latter loose and of course increasing thedanger of the accidental escape of the engaging strap, as Well asforming a loose and undesirable buckle, which defect I overcome byforming the abutting ends of the sliding frame V-shaped, therebypreventing any independentlateral movement and leaving said endsotherwise unconfined, by which construction it is found that there issufficient elasticity in the sliding frame to allow for the spring ofthe buckle-frame, causing the frame to fit tightly and work smoothly atall times, although requiring a positive movement to release the strapengaged by the points.

In Fig. 6 the tongue i is shown straight out or in the plane of thebuckle-frame, and in Fig. 7 the same is shown bent into hook form, whilein Fig. 8 the Wire or metal of the frame is simply crossed and formedinto a ring or The buckle as thus constructed, it will be seen, consistsof but two parts, easily fitted together, and capable of being producedwith great rapidity by proper special machinery,

no hand-work being necessary to fit or join any delicate or complicatedparts.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. In abuckle such as herein described, the

combination, with the buckle-frame'formed of a single piece of metalhaving the points formed thereon, of the sliding frame formed of asingle piece, having the concavities embracing the side pieces of thebuckle-frame and having its ends disconnected, wherebyit is capable of alimited spring, substantially as and for the purpose specified. 2. In abuckle such as herein described, the combination, with the buckle-frameformed of a single piece of metal bent into shape with its ends turnedinward and forming engaging points, of the sliding frame around whichthe buckle-frame is bent, formed of a single piece, with the ends cut Vshape and disconnected, substantially as described.

ERNEST MARX. Witnesses:

MARCUS MARX, CHAS. SCHOUFARBER.

